Dual chamber blood reservoir

ABSTRACT

A blood reservoir may be used in combination with other elements such as a heart lung machine (HLM), oxygenator, heat exchanger, arterial filter and the like to form an extracorporeal blood circuit that may be employed in a procedure such as a bypass procedure. The blood reservoir may be configured to receive, filter and store blood from a number of sources including vent blood (from within the heart), venous blood (from a major vein), purge blood (from a sampling line) and cardiotomy or suction blood (from the surgical field).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/668,933 filed Mar. 25, 2015, which is a division of U.S. applicationSer. No. 13/181,688, filed Jul. 13, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,011,769,issued Apr. 21, 2015, which claims priority to European PatentApplication 11173655.9, filed Jul. 12, 2011, all of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to blood reservoirs foroxygenators used in blood perfusion systems.

BACKGROUND

Blood perfusion involves encouraging blood through the vessels of thebody. For such purposes, blood perfusion systems typically include theuse of one or more pumps in an extracorporeal circuit that isinterconnected with the vascular system of a patient. Many surgicalprocedures require or prefer temporary cessation of the heart to createa still operating field. Such procedures may thus rely upon acardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) perfusion system that temporarily replacesthe function of the heart and lungs. Examples of such procedures includethe surgical correction of vascular stenosis, valvular disorders, andcongenital heart defects. In perfusion systems used for cardiopulmonarybypass surgery, an extracorporeal blood circuit is established thatincludes at least one pump and an oxygenation device to replace thefunctions of the heart and lungs, respectively.

More specifically, in cardiopulmonary bypass procedures, oxygen-poorblood (i.e., venous blood) is gravity-drained or vacuum-suctioned from alarge vein entering the heart or another major vein in the body (e.g.,femoral) and is transferred through a venous line in the extracorporealcircuit. The venous blood is pumped to an oxygenator that provides foroxygen transfer to the blood. Oxygen may be introduced into the bloodby, for example, transfer across a membrane. Concurrently, carbondioxide is removed across the membrane. The oxygenated blood is filteredand then returned through an arterial line to the aorta, femoral, orother artery.

In many cases, an extracorporeal blood circuit includes a bloodreservoir that can be used to collect, filter and de-aerate blood from avariety of different sources. For example, a blood reservoir may receiveone or more of venous blood from a large vein, vent blood that iscollected within the heart and cardiotomy or suction blood that iscollected from outside the heart but within the surgical field.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a blood reservoir that may be used incombination with other elements such as a heart lung machine (HLM),oxygenator, heat exchanger, arterial filter and the like to form anextracorporeal blood circuit. The blood reservoir, as will be describedin greater detail herein, may be configured to receive, filter and storeblood from a number of sources including vent blood (from within theheart), venous blood (from a major vein), purge blood (from a samplingline) and cardiotomy or suction blood (from within the surgical field).Example 1 is a dual chamber blood reservoir including an activatedsection and a non-activated section. The non-activated, or clean,section includes an elongate filter and a foamer that is disposed aboutan upper region of the elongate filter. A purgers funnel extendsdownwardly through the cylindrical foamer and includes a conical upperportion, a cylindrical lower portion and an intervening central portion.A venous inlet tube extends downwardly through the cylindrical lowerportion of the purgers funnel to a position that is proximate a bottomsurface of the elongate filter. A vent inlet tube extends downwardlythrough an aperture formed within the central portion of the purgersfunnel to a position that is proximate the bottom surface of theelongate filter.

In Example 2, the dual chamber blood reservoir of Example 1 in whichblood that exits the cylindrical lower portion of the purgers funnel isable to slide down the exterior surface of the venous inlet tube.

In Example 3, the dual chamber blood reservoir of Example 1 or 2 inwhich the central portion of the purgers funnel includes a firstaperture that is configured to accommodate the vent inlet tube passingtherethrough.

In Example 4, the dual chamber blood reservoir of any of Examples 1, 2or 3, further including a second vent inlet tube that extends downwardlyto a position that is proximate the bottom of the elongate filter.

In Example 5, the dual chamber blood reservoir of Example 4, wherein thecentral portion of the purgers funnel includes a second aperture that isconfigured to accommodate the second vent inlet tube, the first andsecond apertures being radially spaced apart about 180 degrees.

In Example 6, the dual chamber blood reservoir of any of Examples 1 to5, further including a plurality of purge ports that are in fluidcommunication with the conical upper portion of the purgers funnel.

In Example 7, the dual chamber blood reservoir of any of Examples 1 to 6in which the activated section includes a suction blood filter assemblyincluding a cylindrical suction blood filter and a defoamer layer thatis disposed about the cylindrical suction blood filter.

In Example 8, the dual chamber blood reservoir of any of Examples 1 to7, further including a releasable barrier between the activated sectionand the non-activated section, the releasably barrier configured to bereleased to permit blood within the activated section to enter thenon-activated section in a situation requiring additional blood.

In Example 9, the dual chamber blood reservoir of Example 8, furtherincluding a porous media disposed to dissipate velocity in blood flowingfrom the activated section to the non-activated section.

Example 10 is a dual chamber blood reservoir having a housing and acover spanning the housing. A first vent port and a second vent porteach extend through the cover. A venous port extends through the cover.A purgers port extends through the cover. The blood reservoir includes apurgers funnel that has an upper portion, a lower portion and anintervening central portion. The upper portion is in fluid communicationwith the purgers port. A first vent tube is in fluid communication withthe first vent port and extends externally to the lower portion of thepurgers funnel to a position near a lower surface of the housing. Asecond vent tube is in fluid communication with the second vent port andextends externally to the lower portion of the purgers funnel to aposition near the lower surface of the housing. A venous tube is influid communication with the venous port and extends within the purgersfunnel to a position near the lower surface of the housing.

In Example 11, the dual chamber blood reservoir of Example 10 in whichthe first vent tube extends downwardly within the upper portion of thepurgers funnel and passes to an exterior of the purgers funnel through afirst aperture formed in the central portion of the purgers funnel.

In Example 12, the dual chamber blood reservoir of Example 10 or 11 inwhich the first vent tube extends downwardly within the upper portion ofthe purgers funnel and passes to an exterior of the purgers funnelthrough a first aperture formed in the central portion of the purgersfunnel.

In Example 13, the dual chamber blood reservoir of any of Examples 10 to12, further including an elongate filter disposed within the housingsuch that the vent tubes and the venous tube extend downwardly throughthe elongate filter.

In Example 14, the dual chamber blood reservoir of Example 13 in whichthe elongate filter has a lower surface that is disposed near the lowersurface of the housing.

In Example 15, the dual chamber blood reservoir of any of Examples 10 to14, further including a plurality of purgers ports that pass through thecover and that are in fluid communication the upper portion of thepurgers funnel.

Example 16 is a blood reservoir having a housing and a filteringassembly disposed within the housing. The housing has a top, a bottom, avenous inlet, a vent inlet and a purgers inlet. The filtering assemblyextends from near the top of the housing to near the bottom of thehousing. The filtering assembly includes a support structure, a filtermembrane disposed about the support structure and a defoamer that isdisposed about the filter membrane. The filtering assembly includes apurgers funnel that is in fluid communication with the purgers inlet andthat extends downwardly within the filter membrane. The filteringassembly includes a venous tube that is in fluid communication with thevenous inlet and that extends through an interior of the purgers funnelto a location near a bottom surface of the filtering assembly. Thefiltering assembly also includes a vent tube that is in fluidcommunication with the vent inlet and that extends partially through aninterior of the purgers funnel and partially exterior to the purgersfunnel to a location near the bottom surface of the filtering assembly.

In Example 17, the blood reservoir of Example 16 in which the venoustube and the vent tube extend downwardly within an interior space of thefilter membrane.

In Example 18, the blood reservoir of Example 16 or 17 in which thepurgers inlet includes a plurality of purgers ports.

Example 19 is an extracorporeal blood circuit that includes a heart lungmachine, an oxygenator, a sampling line downstream of the oxygenator anda blood reservoir. The blood reservoir includes a vent blood inlet, avenous blood inlet and a purgers port configured to accept blood fromthe sampling line. The blood reservoir is configured to accommodateblood from the sampling line without causing excessive gaseousmicroembolic activity within the blood from the sampling line.

In Example 20, the extracorporeal blood circuit of Example 19 in whichthe blood reservoir includes a purgers funnel that is in fluidcommunication with the purgers port, with the venous blood inletextending downwardly through an interior of the purgers funnel such thatblood from the sampling line is permitted to flow downwardly along anexterior surface of the venous blood inlet.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe following detailed description, which shows and describesillustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings anddetailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature andnot restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an extracorporeal blood circuit inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cross-sectioned perspective view of a bloodreservoir in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the blood reservoir of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3B is a partially cross-sectioned perspective view of a bloodreservoir in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the blood reservoir of FIG. 3B.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a purgers funnel in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a filtering assembly in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the filtering assembly of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the filtering assembly ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a filtering assembly in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an extracorporeal blood circuit10. As illustrated, the extracorporeal blood circuit 10 includes an HLM12, an oxygenator 14, a sampling device 16 and a blood reservoir 18. TheHLM 12 is in fluid communication with a patient 20 and as such canreceive blood from the patient 20 and moreover can return blood andother fluids to the patient 20. The sampling device 16 may be a port orsimilar structure that permits blood to be withdrawn from theextracorporeal blood circuit 10 for lab work and/or additional testingdone in the surgical arena. Blood in the sampling device 16 may flowinto the blood reservoir 18 through a sampling line 22.

FIG. 2 is a partially cross-sectioned perspective view of a bloodreservoir 24 that may be used as the blood reservoir 18 in theextracorporeal blood circuit 10 of FIG. 1. The blood reservoir 24includes a clean (i.e., non-activated) section 26 and a dirty (i.e.,activated) section 28. In this, “clean” and “dirty” are relative termspertaining to an expected level of solid particles or air bubbles withinthe blood entering each section. For example, vent blood and venousblood, which are usually fairly clean, may be processed within thenon-activated section 26, while suction blood, which tends to containrelatively more debris, may be processed within the activated section28.

As shown in FIG. 2, the blood reservoir 24 includes a housing 30 and acover 32. A number of blood inlets, as will be described, extend throughor are otherwise disposed within the cover 32. The housing 30 includes ablood outlet 34 that may, in some embodiments, be in fluid communicationwith the HLM 12. The housing 30 tapers to a bottom 46. The cover 32accommodates a venous inlet port 36, one or more vent inlet ports 38(only one is visible in this view) and a purgers inlet 40 having one ormore purgers ports 42. The cover 32 also accommodates a suction inlet44. In some embodiments, one or more of the venous inlet port 36, thevent inlet port(s) 38, the purgers inlet 40 or the suction inlet 44 maypass through the cover 32 such that they can rotate relative to thecover 32.

As shown, the non-activated section 26 includes a filtering assembly 48,while the activated section 28 includes a filtering/defoaming assembly50. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 andprovides greater detail pertaining to the filtering assembly 48 and thefiltering/defoaming assembly 50. The blood reservoir 24 includes amovable or releasable valve 52 that, when in place as illustrated, keepsblood within the activated section 28 from entering the non-activatedsection 26. In some cases, there may be a need for more blood than isavailable from the non-activated section 26 and thus the valve 52 may belifted, rotated or otherwise moved to permit blood to pass from theactivated section 28 to the non-activated section 26.

In some embodiments, the housing 30 may include a shield 54 that directsblood from the activated section 28 towards the bottom 46. The shield 54may be shaped and positioned to minimize turbulence within the bloodflow. While relative blood levels may vary during use in thenon-activated section 26 and the activated section 28 (when the valve 52is closed), in some embodiments, the blood level within thenon-activated section 26, indicated by a line 56, may be relativelylower than the blood level within the activated section 28, as indicatedby a line 58. In some embodiments, the blood level within thenon-activated section 26 may instead be higher than the blood levelwithin the activated section 28.

In the activated section 28, the suction filtering/defoaming assembly 50includes several components. Blood from the suction inlet 44 may passinto a collection funnel 60 and may then slide or otherwise flow down adiverter 62 that is configured to minimize turbulence in the blood flow.The blood then passes through a cylindrical filter 64 and a defoamer 66that is disposed about the cylindrical filter 64. Blood thus filteredthen collects within the activated section 28, where it is stored untilit is either needed or subsequently discarded through an exit port 68.

In the non-activated section 26, the filtering assembly 48 includesseveral components, not all of which are visible in FIG. 3A. Thefiltering assembly 48 includes an elongate cylindrical filter 70 havinga lower surface 72. A venous inlet tube 74 that is in fluidcommunication with the venous inlet port 36 extends downwardly throughan interior of the elongate cylindrical filter 70 and terminates at aposition that is near the lower surface 72 of the elongate cylindricalfilter 70. A cylindrical defoamer 76 is disposed about an upper regionof the elongate cylindrical filter 70.

The filtering assembly 48 also includes a purgers funnel 78 that extendsdownwardly through the cylindrical defoamer 76 and into the elongatecylindrical filter 70. The purgers funnel 78 is in fluid communicationwith the purgers inlet 40. The venous inlet tube 74 extends downwardlythrough the purgers funnel 78. In some embodiments, the venous inlettube 74 has an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of thepurgers funnel 78 such that purgers blood collected within the purgersfunnel 78 may exit the purgers funnel 78 by sliding down an exterior ofthe venous inlet tube 74. In some embodiments, this reduces turbulencein the flow of purgers blood, thereby reducing or even eliminating theformation of gaseous microembolic activity in the purgers blood. In someembodiments, the purgers funnel 78 may include fingers (not shown) thatform an interference fit with the exterior of the venous inlet tube 74yet permit blood to flow down the exterior of the venous inlet tube 74.In some embodiments, any entrained air within the blood in thenon-activated section 26 may travel up into the cylindrical defoamer 76.

FIG. 3B is a partially cross-sectioned perspective view blood reservoir25 that may be used as the blood reservoir 18 in the extracorporealblood circuit 10 of FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the blood reservoir 25is similar in at least some constructional aspects to the bloodreservoir 24, and thus similar elements share reference numberstherebetween. The blood reservoir 25 includes a clean (i.e.,non-activated) section 26 and a dirty (i.e., activated) section 28. Inthis, “clean” and “dirty” are relative terms pertaining to an expectedlevel of solid particles or air bubbles within the blood entering eachsection. For example, vent blood and venous blood, which are usuallyfairly clean, may be processed within the non-activated section 26,while suction blood, which tends to contain relatively more debris, maybe processed within the activated section 28.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the blood reservoir 25 includes a housing 30 and acover 32. A number of blood inlets, as will be described, extend throughor are otherwise disposed within the cover 32. The housing 30 includes ablood outlet 34 that may, in some embodiments, be in fluid communicationwith the HLM 12. The housing 30 tapers to a bottom 46. The cover 32accommodates a venous inlet port 36, one or more vent inlet ports 38(only one is visible in this view) and a purgers inlet 40 having one ormore purgers ports 42. The cover 32 also accommodates a suction inlet44. In some embodiments, one or more of the venous inlet port 36, thevent inlet port(s) 38, the purgers inlet 40 or the suction inlet 44 maypass through the cover 32 such that they can rotate relative to thecover 32. As shown, the non-activated section 26 includes a filteringassembly 48, while the activated section 28 includes afiltering/defoaming assembly 50.

FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3′-3′ of FIG. 3B andprovides greater detail pertaining to the filtering assembly 48 and thefiltering/defoaming assembly 50. The blood reservoir 25 includes amovable or releasable valve 52 that, when in place as illustrated, keepsblood within the activated section 28 from entering the non-activatedsection 26. In some cases, there may be a need for more blood than isavailable from the non-activated section 26 and thus the valve 52 may belifted, rotated or otherwise moved to permit blood to pass from theactivated section 28 to the non-activated section 26.

In some embodiments, the housing 30 may include a shield 55 that directsblood from the activated section 28 towards the bottom 46. The shield 55may be shaped and positioned to minimize turbulence within the bloodflow. In some embodiments, as illustrated, the shield 55 may include aframe portion 57 and a porous media portion 59. The frame portion 57supports the porous media portion 59 and helps to anchor the shield 55within the housing 30. The porous media portion 59 slows blood passingthrough the shield 55.

While relative blood levels may vary during use in the non-activatedsection 26 and the activated section 28 (when the barrier 52 is closed),in some embodiments, the blood level within the non-activated section26, indicated by a line 56, may be relatively lower than the blood levelwithin the activated section 28, as indicated by a line 58. In someembodiments, the blood level within the non-activated section 26 mayinstead be higher than the blood level within the activated section 28.

In the activated section 28, the suction filtering/defoaming assembly 50includes several components. Blood from the suction inlet 44 may passinto a collection funnel 60 and may then slide or otherwise flow down adiverter 62 that is configured to minimize turbulence in the blood flow.The blood then passes through a cylindrical filter 64 and a defoamer 66that is disposed about the cylindrical filter 64. Blood thus filteredthen collects within the activated section 28, where it is stored untilit is either needed or subsequently discarded through an exit port 68.In some embodiments, blood stored within the activated section 28 may bereleased into the non-activated section 26 by opening the valve 52.

In the non-activated section 26, the filtering assembly 48 includesseveral components, not all of which are visible in FIG. 3A. Thefiltering assembly 48 includes an elongate cylindrical filter 70 havinga lower surface 72. A venous inlet tube 74 that is in fluidcommunication with the venous inlet port 36 extends downwardly throughan interior of the elongate cylindrical filter 70 and terminates at aposition that is near the lower surface 72 of the elongate cylindricalfilter 70. A cylindrical defoamer 76 is disposed about an upper regionof the elongate cylindrical filter 70.

The filtering assembly 48 also includes a purgers funnel 78 that extendsdownwardly through the cylindrical defoamer 76 and into the elongatecylindrical filter 70. The purgers funnel 78 is in fluid communicationwith the purgers inlet 40. The venous inlet tube 74 extends downwardlythrough the purgers funnel 78. In some embodiments, the venous inlettube 74 has an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of thepurgers funnel 78 such that purgers blood collected within the purgersfunnel 78 may exit the purgers funnel 78 by sliding down an exterior ofthe venous inlet tube 74. In some embodiments, this reduces turbulencein the flow of purgers blood, thereby reducing or even eliminating theformation of gaseous microembolic activity in the purgers blood. In someembodiments, the purgers funnel 78 may include fingers (not shown) thatform an interference fit with the exterior of the venous inlet tube 74yet permit blood to flow down the exterior of the venous inlet tube 74.In some embodiments, any entrained air within the blood in thenon-activated section 26 may travel up into the cylindrical defoamer 76.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the purgers funnel 78.In the illustrated embodiment, the purgers funnel 78 includes an upperportion 80, a lower portion 82 and a tapered central portion 84 betweenthe upper portion 80 and the lower portion 82. In some embodiments, theupper portion 80 may be conical or otherwise tapered in shape. In somecases, the lower portion 82 may be cylindrical in shape. In theillustrated embodiment, the central portion 84 of the purgers funnel 78includes a first aperture 86 and a second aperture 88. The firstaperture 86 and the second aperture 88 may be configured to permit firstand second vent tubes (illustrated in a subsequent Figure) to passtherethrough. In some embodiments, the first aperture 86 and the secondaperture 88 may be radially spaced about 180 degrees apart.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the filtering assembly 48. The filteringassembly 48 includes, as shown in FIG. 3A, the elongate cylindricalfilter 70 and the cylindrical defoamer 76. The elongate cylindricalfilter 70 includes a filter membrane 90 and a support structure 92. Asillustrated, the filter membrane 90 is disposed inside of the supportstructure 92. In some embodiments, the filter membrane 90 may instead bedisposed about the support structure 92. The support structure 92 mayprovide sufficient support to the filter membrane 90 to hold the filtermembrane 90 in a desired configuration against the fluid pressures towhich the filter membrane 90 may be exposed during operation of theblood reservoir 24.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 andillustrates a blood flow path for purgers blood. As indicated by arrows94, purge blood may enter the blood reservoir 24 through the purgersports 42. The purgers blood then travels down through the purgers funnel78 as indicated by arrows 96, and exits through a bottom 98 of thepurgers funnel 78. As indicated by arrows 100, the blood then slides orotherwise flows down the exterior surface of the venous inlet tube 74.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the filtering assembly 48,illustrating the venous inlet tube 74, a first vent tube 102 and asecond vent tube 104. The venous inlet tube 74, the first vent tube 102and the second vent tube 104 extend downwardly from the cover 32 throughan interior of the elongate cylindrical filter 70. As shown in FIG. 4,the first vent tube 102 may pass through the first aperture 86 and thesecond vent tube 104 may pass through the second aperture 88. The firstvent tube 102 may be considered as extending within the purgers funnel78 above the first aperture 86 but exterior to the purgers funnel 78below the first aperture 86. Similarly, the second vent tube 104 may beconsidered as extending within the purgers funnel 78 above the secondaperture 88 but exterior to the purgers funnel 78 below the secondaperture 88. In some embodiments, the venous inlet tube 74, the firstvent tube 102 and the second vent tube 104 each extend downwardly to aposition that is proximate or near to the lower surface 72 of theelongate cylindrical filter 70. As a result, in some embodiments,turbulence and resulting blood cell damage may be reduced or eliminated.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the filtering/defoamingassembly 50. In some embodiments, the filtering/defoaming assembly 50includes a plastic frame 150 that supports the filtering/defoamingassembly 50 and provides the filtering/defoaming assembly 50 with anannular or ovoid shape. A foam cylinder such as a polyurethane foamcylinder 152 is disposed within the plastic frame 150 and at leastpartially defines an internal sliding surface 154. An outer surface ofthe foam cylinder 152 is at least partially wrapped in a polyester felt156. In some embodiments, the polyester felt 156 has a pore size ofabout 40 microns.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplaryembodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer toparticular features, the scope of this invention also includesembodiments having different combinations of features and embodimentsthat do not include all of the above described features.

The following is claimed:
 1. An extracorporeal blood circuit comprising:a heart lung machine; an oxygenator; a sampling line downstream of theoxygenator; and a blood reservoir including a first vent blood inlet, avenous blood inlet and a purgers port for accepting blood from thesampling line; wherein the blood reservoir is configured to accommodateblood from the sampling line without causing excessive gaseousmicroembolic activity within the blood from the sampling line.
 2. Theextracorporeal blood circuit of claim 1, wherein the blood reservoirincludes a purgers funnel in fluid communication with the purgers port,with the venous blood inlet extending downwardly through an interior ofthe purgers funnel, the purgers funnel being configured to permit theblood from the sampling line to flow downwardly along an exteriorsurface of the venous blood inlet.
 3. The extracorporeal blood circuitof claim 1, wherein the blood reservoir includes a purgers funnel influid communication with the purgers port and a defoamer disposed suchthat the purgers funnel extends through the defoamer and at least partof the purgers funnel extends below the defoamer.
 4. The extracorporealblood circuit of claim 1, wherein the blood reservoir includes a purgersfunnel having an upper portion, a lower portion and an interveningcentral portion, the upper portion of the purgers funnel in fluidcommunication with the purgers port.
 5. The extracorporeal blood circuitof claim 4, comprising a venous tube in fluid communication with thevenous blood inlet and extending within the purgers funnel, such thatthe lower portion of the purgers funnel is configured to extendalongside a portion of the venous tube.
 6. The extracorporeal bloodcircuit of claim 5, wherein the lower portion of the purgers funnel hasan inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the venoustube such that blood exiting the purgers funnel slides down an exteriorsurface of the venous tube.
 7. The extracorporeal blood circuit of claim6, comprising an elongate filter disposed such that the venous tubeextends downwardly inside the elongate filter.
 8. The extracorporealblood circuit of claim 7, comprising a reservoir housing and wherein theelongate filter extends to near a lower surface of the reservoirhousing.
 9. The extracorporeal blood circuit of claim 4, comprising afirst vent tube in fluid communication with the first vent blood inletand extending external to the lower portion of the purgers funnel,wherein the first vent tube extends downwardly within the upper portionof the purgers funnel and passes to an exterior thereof through a firstaperture formed in the central portion of the purgers funnel.
 10. Theextracorporeal blood circuit of claim 9, comprising a second vent bloodinlet and a second vent tube in fluid communication with the second ventblood inlet and extending external to the lower portion of the purgersfunnel, wherein the second vent tube extends downwardly within the upperportion of the purgers funnel and passes to an exterior thereof througha second aperture formed in the central portion of the purgers funnel.11. An extracorporeal blood circuit comprising: a heart lung machine; anoxygenator; a sampling line downstream of the oxygenator; and a bloodreservoir including: a vent blood inlet; a venous blood inlet; a purgersport for accepting blood from the sampling line; a purgers funnel havingan upper portion, a lower portion and an intervening central portion,the upper portion in fluid communication with the purgers port; and adefoamer situated so the purgers funnel extends through the defoamer andat least part of the lower portion of the purgers funnel extends belowthe defoamer.
 12. The extracorporeal blood circuit of claim 11, whereinthe venous blood inlet extends downwardly through an interior of thepurgers funnel and the purgers funnel is configured to permit the bloodfrom the sampling line to flow downwardly along an exterior surface ofthe venous blood inlet.
 13. The extracorporeal blood circuit of claim11, comprising a releasable barrier, wherein the blood reservoirincludes an activated section and a non-activated section, and thereleasable barrier is situated between the activated section and thenon-activated section and configured to be released to permit bloodwithin the activated section to enter the non-activated section in asituation requiring additional blood.
 14. The extracorporeal bloodcircuit of claim 13, wherein the non-activated section comprises anelongate filter.
 15. The extracorporeal blood circuit of claim 13,comprising a porous media disposed to dissipate velocity of bloodflowing from the activated section to the non-activated section.